Clinical Liaison | Mary Free Bed & Carle Health (Peoria, IL)

We have the great privilege of helping patients and families re-build their lives. It’s extraordinarily meaningful work and the reason we greet the day with optimism and anticipation. When patients “Ask for Mary,” they experience a culture that has been sculpted for more than a century. Our hallmark is to carefully listen to patients and innovatively serve them. This is true of every employee, from support staff and leadership, to clinicians and care providers. 

Mary Free Bed is a not-for-profit, nationally accredited rehabilitation hospital serving thousands of children and adults each year through inpatient, outpatient, sub-acute rehabilitation, orthotics and prosthetics and home and community programs. With the most comprehensive rehabilitation services in Michigan and an exclusive focus on rehabilitation, Mary Free Bed physicians, nurses and therapists help our patients achieve outstanding clinical outcomes. The growing Mary Free Bed Network provides patients throughout the system with access to our unique standard of care.

Mission Statement                                                                                                                           

Restoring hope and freedom through rehabilitation.

Employment Value Proposition     

At Mary Free Bed, we take pride in our values-based culture:

• Focus on Patient Care.  A selfless drive to serve and heal connects all MFB employees.
• Clinical Variety and Challenge. An inter-disciplinary approach and a top team of professionals create ever-changing opportunities and activities.
• Family Culture.  We offer the stability of a large organization while nurturing the family/team atmosphere of a small organization.
• Trust in Each Other.  Each employee knows that co-workers can be trusted to make the right decision for our family, patients, staff, and community.
• A Proud Tradition. Years of dedicated, quality service to our patients and community have yielded a reputation that fills our employees with pride. 

Age Specific Responsibility

Must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served in assigned department.  Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient’s status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient’s requirements relative to age-specific needs and to provide the care needed as described in the department’s policies and procedures.

Summary                                                                                                                                                      

The Clinical Liaison serves as a key representative of the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital System. This role is responsible for evaluating, coordinating and facilitating appropriate referrals for acute inpatient rehabilitation. This position requires advanced clinical judgement, strategic outreach, and cross functional collaboration to ensure high-quality patient transitions and territory growth.

Essential Job Responsibilities                                                                                

Business Development

• Analyzes market trends and referral patterns of physicians and prioritizes time appropriately to increase business to drive increased census.
• Works with Mary Free Bed marketing department to determine needs of patients and referral sources to capitalize on education opportunities through new collateral materials and presentations.
• Develops and grows relationships with current and potential referral sources including case managers, therapists, provider and resident groups, and insurance case managers.
• Develops and executes strategic outreach plans in collaboration with the system continuum access team.
• Follows catastrophic cases throughout the assigned territory by rounding on appropriate call points with goal of incremental referral development.
• As a member of the Access team, coordinate meetings and calls on key referring physicians to drive census growth.
• Targets and builds relationships with catastrophic case managers.
• Provides reporting trends and activity to Access Leadership Team emphasizing barriers to care with solutions to drive growth.

Admissions

• For those referrals that are appropriate for admission to Mary Free Bed system:  In collaboration with the acute care hospital staff, collects appropriate patient information and completes the Mary Free Bed documentation that is required for admission.  Provides patient and family education related to inpatient rehabilitation.  Collaborates with the referring hospital staff, inpatient staff and admitting physician to determine an admission plan, and to set a date and time that is appropriate for the patient and meets the needs of the referring hospital.  
• Completes the pre-admission screen in compliance with CMS requirements and assures that appropriate physician review and approval is completed prior to admission.
• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with all referral's sources. Facilitates professional communication with each employee of the referring hospital. 
• Encourages, coaches, and monitors teamwork and direct communication with co-workers to promote efficiency in process prioritizing throughput.
• Acts on behalf of the MFB System to see patients for other MFB sites, gathers patient information and supports communication with key contacts. 
• Monitors customer satisfaction and facilitates problem solving with the admitting physicians, patients and families, and referral sources.  Encourages a culture of personal accountability, solution-seeking behavior, mutual respect, open communication, openness to change, enthusiasm, and pride.  
• Maintains a high level of current knowledge about each referral hospital and the associated patient populations.
• Develops and maintains excellent working relationship with Network and System Partners and their admissions team.
• Maintains appropriate credentialing certification at all required facilities.
• Works with Access support staff groups to ensure efficient processing and sharing of information to admitting teams at MFB.

Other Job Responsibilities

• Maintains a high level of current knowledge about each referral source and the associated patient populations.
• Completes other duties as assigned.

Customer Service Responsibilities                                                                                               

Demonstrate excellent customer service and standards of behaviors as well as encourages, coaches, and monitors the same in team members. This individual should consistently promote teamwork and direct communication with co-workers and deal discretely and sensitively with confidential information. 

Responsibilities in Quality Improvement                                                                          

Contribute by identifying problems and seeking solutions. Promote patient/family satisfaction where possible; participates in departmental efforts to monitor and report customer service.

Essential Job Qualifications                                                                                                                                 

• Active degree in nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy or speech therapy.
• Applicable state licensure is required
• Minimum of two years clinical experience in inpatient rehab, acute care, or post-acute setting
• Proficient in clinical documentation in electronic medical record platforms
• Strong interpersonal, organizational and communication skills, ability to educate and influence across disciplines.
• Valid driver’s license with no restrictions.

Preferred Job Qualifications                                                                                                                                

• Previous experience working in a liaison, care management, clinical outreach or other access roles preferred.
• Experience working in inpatient rehab, LTACH, or SNF/SAR referral processes.
• Understanding of CMS guidelines and insurance authorization practices.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze territory metrics and referral data.
• Strong presentation skills and comfort speaking in front of key referral sources.
• Able to respond to highly variable workload demands.

Physical Requirements for Essential Job Qualification

Levels:

• None (No specific requirements)
• Occasionally (Less than 1/3)
• Frequently (1/3 to 2/3)
• Majority (More than 2/3)

Remain in a stationary position: Majority

Traverse or move around work location: Occasionally

Use keyboard:  Majority

Operate or use department specific equipment:  None

Ascend/Descend equipment or ladder: None

Position self to accomplish the Essential Functions of the role: None

Receive and communicate information and ideas for understanding: Majority

Transport, position, and/or exert force:

Up to 10 pounds:   Occasionally

Up to 25 pounds: Occasionally

Up to 50 pounds: none

Up to 75 pounds:  none

More than 100 pounds: none

Other weight: Up to_n/a_ pounds n/a

       Other: n/a

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the Talent Acquisition team at recruitment@maryfreebed.com.

Mary Free Bed is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status, disability or other legally protected characteristic.